'Cirque Dreams Holidaze' colossal, creative family entertainment

Imagination reins throughout original attraction

Touring production "Cirque Dreams Holidaze" introduces a 26-feet-tall Christmas tree, on which the ornaments are all alive and wearing brightly colored costumes. The show arrives Nov. 16-17 at City Bank Auditorium, part of the Celebrity Attractions season.

“Cirque Dreams Holidaze” — a touring production created and directed by Neil Goldberg — is one of the most colossal, colorful and creative family productions that I ever have had the good fortune to experience.

There was only one flaw visible at Friday’s interactive and imaginative performance at City Bank Auditorium. One would have preferred a higher percentage of children watching the show.

Of course, “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” is the opening production of the 2012-13 Celebrity Attractions season, and Celebrity generally attracts adults with its Broadway-quality musicals.

Although he travels to both coasts while seeking cutting-edge, new productions, Celebrity owner Larry Payton never has taken us to a circus.

Until now.

While we see the 26-foot-tall Christmas tree at the beginning, Friday’s performance never revealed more than 10 (living) ornaments seemingly situated on branches. It would have been a nice touch if that image were not saved for marketing photo shoots.

Thanks to narration, as well as gorgeous vocals delivered by Americans Kathleen Fiori, Kelli Koloszar and Justin Tate as an Angel, Ice Queen and Dickens, respectively, the audience understands that the dream land on stage is populated by colorful ornaments given life.

Show creator Goldberg scoured the globe in search of amazing acrobats, magnificent magicians and mimes, and powerful performers able to command attention at stage level and while soaring through the air.

Headliners were memorable Friday. But Goldberg treats his audience like a child who has trouble paying attention, willing to dedicate only a short time to those at center stage.

So the entire stage must have been created by magicians determined to entertain those whose eyes were bound to wander. Besides, each center stage “performance” lasts a short time.

And if any act runs into trouble, there is no time for even a quick fix. Music provides counterpoint, but also a countdown. Performers know they must wind up in a precisely planned location as the music (and act) comes to a close.

But while performers command attention, audiences cannot help but notice such visitors as, say, a foursome of animated candy canes, or others in bright costumes, traversing the stage.

The Angel and Ice Queen appear sporadically, a rapper may ask for applause and, lo and behold, characters at times carry Christmas trees and other props in choreographed fashion.

Sticklers for tradition no doubt would label this stage “busy” — but who cares, when the program provides feelings of awe in young and old?

Not to mention an early injection of Christmas spirit as even a huge Gingerbread Man arrives ?

I hope that I have linked correct names to performers, as the program demands much guesswork.

So many performances are feats of balance and supreme body strength, demanding a courageous trust of one’s partner.

Do not expect to leave this show knowing how such entertaining feats are accomplished; just enjoy the thrilling beauty of each.

My granddaughter Tabitha, 11, accompanied me Friday. I smiled while watching her inch forward, hoping to see everything more clearly. Twice, she looked at me and whispered her conclusion: “They must be using invisible wires.”

I just shook my head no, and we again watched women climb aboard hoops lifted into the air, allowing them to alter positions so that one, stiff as a board, could be held aloft only by her partner’s feet or thigh.

One little girl appeared to be a volunteer, waving to a fictitious mom before climbing onto the lap of a man in a gorgeous white Santa Claus coat.

Oh, but then Santa began flipping her.

Sergei Zolotukin and Anastasia Zolotikhina, both of Russia, performed an astonishing acrobatic act that would not end until this Santa palmed Anastasia’s head like a basketball and lifted her into the air.

Thank goodness there was no basketball hoop; I would have feared a dunk was next.

American mime Billy Jackson was hilarious as a maestro conducting audience members who had agreed to play bells.

Smiling Ethiopian acrobat Samail Haftu later would toss small Ethiopian boy Amanual Haftu into the air — the difference being that Haftu generated lift and handled catches with his bare feet.

I’m not sure of the names of all performers, but Russian magician Ilya Ryshkov and his associate Natalia Khazina somehow kept changing their own costumes/gowns by style and color in the blink of an eye — and seemingly even faster at the end.

It is almost impossible to imagine the hours of practice demanded by those who lift partners, holding them at seemingly bone-breaking angles, or work solo.

This Cirque also has a roller skating act on a teeny-tiny rink, a jump-rope quartet that blew minds, and acts stressing heightened balance.

Some beautiful acts found performers revealing feats of strength while flying, or falling, through the air with only ribbons of silk wrapped around their arms.

Closing work on these silks proved to be gorgeous, with a bare-chested young man and his partner, dressed in white, sailing through a choreographed routine as Fiori, and later Tate, sang a chilling rendition of “Oh Holy Night.”

Mind you, the choice of song might seem questionable when the routine of those flying amid the silks includes romantic, even sexual, undertones.

Then again, that may be unnecessary quibbling, considering the strength, talent and imagination required by an overall show of this caliber and depth.